NOTICE 


OF  THE 


IN'  THE 


NEW   YORK : 

BTLLIN  k  BROTHERS,  PRINTERS,  20  NORTH  WILLIAM  STREET. 

1854. 


i£x  Htbrta 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


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AVI.KY  AK(  Ml  I  1(11  KM  AND  J  INI  ARTS  LlBRARV 

(in  i  or  Si-ymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


NOTICE 

OF  THE 

Hliiieraliniical  (fo  I  lection 

IS  THS 


/ 


NEW  YORK: 

BILLIN  <fc  BROTHERS,  PRINTERS,  20  NORTH  WILLIAM  STREET. 

18  54. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2014 


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NOTICE 

OF  TUB 

Hmmtlogital  Collection  in  t\}t  Crystal  falace* 

 +  ♦  »  

The  Mineralogical  Department  in  the  New  York  Exhibition 
was  placed  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  Benjamin  Silliman,  Jr., 
about  the  middle  of  March,  when  it  was  expected  that  the 
Exhibition  would  be  thrown  open  on  the  1st  of  May.    Prior  to 

*  The  present  notice  of  the  mineralogical  collections  of  the  Crystal  Palace 
in  New  York  was  prepared  for  another  purpose,  but  the  writer  is  induced  to 
publish  it  here*  in  consequence  of  an  erroneous  and  (no  doubt,  unintentionally) 
injurious  article,  on  the  same  subject,  which  was  published  in  the  November 
(1853)  Number  of  this  Magazine.  The  article  referred  to  happened  never  to 
have  been  seen  by  the  writer  until  this  day,  or  it  would  have  been  sooner 
noticed.  Probably  no  one  is  more  fully  sensible  of  the  many  imperfections 
of  that  collection  than  the  person  under  whose  direction  it  was  amassed.  If 
any  one  "  expected  to  find  there  a  systematically  arranged  collection  of  all  the 
minerals  of  our  country,  each  one  bearing  its  name  upon  it,"  etc.,  he  was  very 
unreasonable  if  he  supposed  that  such  a  collection  (which  by  the  way  never 
has  been  formed)  could  be  brought  together,  with  limited  means  and  still  more 
limited  space,  in  the  short  time  devoted  to  procuring  the  collection  which  was 
exhibited.  The  arrangement  adopted  (geographical)  has  many  advantages, 
especially  when  the  resources  of  a  country  are  to  be  displayed  by  representa- 
tive specimens.  If  possible  to  make  it  complete,  it  would  be  a  picture  or  map 
equally  geological  and  mineralogical  of  the  country  represented.  It  fails  of 
course  to  give  scientific  satisfaction ;  but  this  was  not  the  object.  The  cabinet 
was  thrown  open  to  the  public  in  less  than  three  weeks  after  the  room  was 
delivered  by  the  mechanics.  Of  course  it  was  impossible  to  make  the  arrange- 
ment of  many  thousand  specimens  complete  in  that  time.  As  the  writer  was 
providentially  detained  by  a  protracted  illness  from  assisting  in  the  labor  of 
opening  and  arranging  the  collections  until  this  labor  was  far  advanced,  he 
feels  no  hesitation  in  saying  that,  both  in  amount  of  labor  performed,  and  in 
the  dispatch  with  which  it  was  done,  the  exertions  of  his  associate,  Mr.  Brush, 
have  never  been  surpassed  ;  and  in  this  opinion  he  is  supported  by  the  judg- 
ment of  all  those  who  were  cognizant  of  the  facts  and  competent  to  make  a 
judgment.  As  for  the  labelling  of  the  specimens,  it  was  impossible  but  that 
much  time  should  be  consumed  upon  any  plan.  But  all  the  most  interesting 
and  important  specimens  had  their  names  attached  to  cards,  placed  in  front 
of  each  specimen,  before  the  10th  of  October,  or  within  a  fortnight  after  the 

*  The  Mining  Magazine. 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 


this  time,  the  President  of  the  Association  had  issued  a  circular 
to  owners  of  cabinets  of  minerals,  mine  owners-,  etc.;  and  Mr. 
W.  P.  Blake,  B.  Ph.,  who  had  drawn  up  the  circular,  visited 
several  portions  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Vir- 
ginia, etc.,  inviting  the  cooperation  of  proprietors,  and  exciting 
public  attention  to  this  important  division  of  the  Exhibition. 

Professor  Silliman  decided,  upon  taking  direction  of  this 
department,  to  adopt  a  geographical  arrangement  of  the  col- 
lections, as  being  at  once  most  practicable,  and  likely  to  convey 
to  the  spectators  more  useful  information  respecting  the  distribu- 
tion of  those  raw  materials  upon  which  so  many  of  the  branches 
of  human  industry  are  immediately  dependent.  It  was  plain 
that  the  preparation  of  this  department  at  all,  in  the  very  brief 
period  remaining,  was  impossible,  and  that  even  with  a  very 
considerable  delay,  the  collections  which  could  be  made  must 
necessarily  be  very  incomplete.  Fortunately  for  the  complete- 
ness of  the  collection,  it  was  early  decided  to  place  the  cabinet 
in  a  part  of  the  Machine  Arcade,  the  construction  of  which  was 
not  complete  so  as  to  be  accessible  at  all  until  late  in  August, 
and  was  not  free  from  the  interruptions  of  work-people  until 
the  6th  of  September.  Had  this  long  delay  been  foreseen  at 
the  outset,  the  collections  might  have  been  rendered  more  com- 
plete from  the  remote  sections  of  the  United  States,  as  it  would 
have  been  practicable  to  have  sent  special  agents  to  the  most 
distant  mining  districts  in  the  Eastern  United  States,  to  collect 
specimens.  This  system  of  sending  special  agents  was  adopted 
from  the  outset  in  all  the  Atlantic  States,  the  Association  having 
liberally  placed  means  at  the  disposal  of  the  Director  to  employ 
the  services  of  gentlemen  eminent  in  this  department  to  act  for 
the  Association  in  the  collection  of  facts  and  specimens  illustra- 
ting the  mineral  resources  and  industry  of  the  United  States.* 

room  was  thrown  open  to  the  public.  It  should  be  remembered  that  the  very 
restricted  space  excluded  nearly  all  geological  specimens,  and  compelled  the 
Director  to  confine  his  efforts  almost  exclusively  to  minerals.  Had  a  full  suite 
of  rocks  and  fossils  from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  been  procured,  or  even 
one  as  full  in  proportion  as  the  minerals  actually  were,  the  whole  Machine 
Arcade  would  not  have  served  to  accommodate  them.  It  was  the  economical 
and  practical  that  were  chiefly  sought  to  be  made  prominent ;  and  it  is 
believed  that  there  were  representative  specimens  from  nearly  every  impor- 
tant mining  district  of  the  United  States  and  Mexico.  From  many  of  our 
mining  districts,  the  collection  was  far  more  complete  than  any  other  that  has 
yet  been  made. 

It  is  proper  to  add,  that,  in  the  Descriptive  and  Annotated  Catalogue  of  the 
Exhibition,  now  in  press  by  G.  P.  Putnam  &  Co.,  the  minerals  and  ores  of 
this  collection  arc  fully  described  in  many  cases,  and  the  reader  is  referred  to 
that  publication  for  fuller  information  than  can  be  given  here. — B.  S.,  Jk. 

*  It  is  well  to  say  here,  that  the  only  way  in  which  specimens  were  got  at 
all,  was  by  going  or  sending  for  them  in  person,  or  by  special  agents.  Not 
one  in  a  hundred  of  all  the  circulars  of  invitation  addressed  to  mine  owners 
and  collectors  ever  received  so  much  as  an  answer.  One  who  has  not  himself 
attempted  it,  has  any  idea  of  the  labor,  del.iv,  and  vexation  attendant  upon 
2 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 

It  is  but  justice  to  mention  the  gentlemen  who  kindly  con- 
sented, often  at  the  sacrifice  of  personal  convenience,  to  perform 
this  service. 

Mr.  William  Phipps  Blake,  B.  Ph.,  of  New  York,  as  before 
mentioned,  visited  the  iron  regions  of  Lake  Champlain,  and  the 
phosphorite  deposits  of  the  same  region ;  the  zinc  deposits  of 
New  Jersey,  and  of  Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania;  the  chrome  and 
copper  works  at  Baltimore,  and  a  portion  of  the  gold  regions  of 
Virginia.  Subsequently  (in  company  with  J.  D.  Whitney,  Esq.), 
Mr.  Blake  made  a  special  journey  to  the  copper  regions  of  North 
Carolina,  and  that  of  the  Haiwasse,  in  Tennessee.  Mr.  Blake's 
useful  services  were  lost  to  the  Association  early  in  June,  when 
he  accompanied  Lieutenant  Williamson,  as  mineralogist,  etc.,  to 
the  military  expedition  under  the  command  of  that  officer  on 
the  western  coast  of  America. 

Mr.  Geo.  J.  Brush,  B.  Ph.,  in  company  with  the  Director, 
visited  the  lead  and  copper  mines  of  Chester  county,  Pa.,  under 
the  administration  of  Mr.  Chas.  M.  Wheatley,  and  selected  from 
the  cabinet  of  that  gentleman  the  remarkable  and  beautiful 
suites  of  specimens,  Nos.  113,  114,  115,  Class  L,  which  formed 
so  conspicuous  an  ornament  in  the  Exhibition. 

Mr.  Brush  also  visited  the  cabinet  of  John  Ehlers,  Esq.,  of 
Hoboken,  and  selected  the  suite  of  Mexican  silver  ores  (No.  234, 
Class  I.)  which  that  gentleman's  long  residence  in  Mexico  had 
enabled  him  to  collect  from  fourteen  of  the  most  remarkable  of 
the  Mexican  mines. 

Prof.  W.  S.  Clarke,  of  Amherst,  visited  numerous  persons  and 
mines  in  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  and  Vermont,  inducing 
them  to  send  in  their  contributions. 

Dr.  F.  A.  Genth,  of  Philadelphia,  as  a  reference  to  the  Hand 
Catalogue  will  show,  extended  his  services  for  the  Association 
over  a  very  wide  range  of  country,  and  with  remarkable  success. 
,  The  cabinet  is  indebted  to  him  for  specimens  from  the  mineral 
region  of  northern  New  York — of  Maryland — of  Virginia — of 
North  Carolina,  selected  with  great  judgment  and  care ;  for 
suites  illustrative  of  the  metallurgic  processes  of  the  iron,  lead, 
and  copper  smelting  works  of  the  same  regions;  and  also  for 
the  assiduity  and  tact  with  which  he  induced  the  proprietors  of 
valuable  cabinets  to  loan  from  them  to  the  Association  such 
specimens  as  he  selected,  and  often  such  as  could  be  procured  in 
no  other  way. 

Prof.  Oliver  P.  Hubbard,  M.  D.,  of  Dartmouth  College,  New 
Hampshire,  was  commissioned  to  collect  the  minerals  of  New 
Hampshire  most  interesting  in  an  industrial  point  of  view,  which 
he  did. 

the  accumulation  of  such  a  collection.  The  most  powerful  of  all  inducements 
(self-interest)  was  wanting,  in  a  majority  of  cases  in  this  department,  to  tempt 
people  to  forward  their  specimens, 

3 


The  Miner alogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 

Mr.  Ludwig  Stadtmuller  visited  the  iron  regions  of  Con- 
necticut, and  the  adjacent  parts  of  New  York ;  the  copper,  lead, 
and  cobalt  mines  of  Connecticut,  and  Northampton  in  Massachu- 
setts— selecting  and  forwarding  specimens  from  numerous  pro- 
prietors, and  some  private  cabinets.  He  also  visited  and  collected 
the  ores  of  the  copper  region  of  the  Blue  Ridge  in  Virginia,  sixty 
miles  from  Alexandria,  at  Manassas  Gap. 

Dr.  Charles  M.  Wetherill,  of  Philadelphia,  was  (with  the  con- 
currence of  the  Local  Committee  of  Pennsylvania)  commissioned 
to  visit  the  coal  and  iron  districts  of  Pennsylvania.  His  labors 
were,  from  the  want  of  time,  confined  chiefly  to  the  eastern  dis- 
tricts of  this  most  productive  State.  The  Hand  Catalogue  shows 
that  his  success  was  remarkable — not  less  than  fifty-four  distinct 
iron  furnaces  being  represented  by  selections  of  their  ore,  fuel, 
flux,  slags,  and  manufactured  products.  A  large  collection  of 
the  most  important  and  best  known  varieties  of  the  anthracite 
coal  of  Pennsylvania,  amounting  to  several  hundred  specimens, 
and  accompanied  by  a  schedule  showing  their  position,  compo- 
sition, evaporating  power,  and  other  valuable  statistics,  was 
formed  -for  the  Association  by  Colonel  Wetherill  and  Mr.  Peale 
of  Pottsville,  and  in  connection  with  the  iron  products  of  the 
same  region,  forms  a  feature  of  permanent  and  peculiar  interest 
in  the  Exhibition.  The  reader  is  referred  to  Dr.  Wetherill's 
annotations  in  the  Descriptive  and  Annotated  Catalogue,  for 
further  information  respecting  these  interesting  collections. 

By  the  co-operation  of  these  gentlemen,  with  the  active  exer- 
tions of  the  Director,  and  the  aid  of  many  other  collectors  or  pro- 
prietors, by  letters,  circulars,  and  personal  influence,  the  collection 
was  soon  made  with  such  a  degree  of  fullness  as  to  secure  its  suc- 
cess. To  any  person  at  all  conversant  with  the  labor  and  trials 
required  to  accumulate  a  mineralogical  cabinet,  it  will  not  seem 
strange  that  important  deficiencies  should  exist,  in  a  collection 
which  was  formed  in  less  than  four  months.  It  is  to  be  remarked, 
however,  in  regard  to  the  geographical  arrangement,  that  many 
deficiencies  which  appear  upon  the  Catalogue,  were  remedied  by 
the  species  and  representatives  occurring  in  the  miscellaneous 
private  collections,  numbering  nearly  two  thousand  specimens, 
which,  with  some  exceptions,  were  not  included  in  the  general 
arrangement.  Much  of  the  beauty  of  the  cabinet,  and  to  the 
scientific  mineralogist  its  greatest  interest,  arose  from  the  liber- 
ality of  various  private  collectors  who  so  kindly  loaned  to  the 
Association  selections  from  whatever  was  most  beautiful,  rare, 
or  valuable  in  their  cabinets.  The  collectors  who  thus  loaned 
their  specimens,  are  Nos.  249  to  260  A  of  the  Catalogue,  besides 
which  we  may  mention  the  silver  and  other  ores  of  Chili  (Nos. 
226  and  227),  from  the  Government  of  the  United  States  and  Lt. 
Gilliss;  the  great  collection  of  California  and  Australian  gold 
from  Adams  &  Co.  (213,  Class  I.);  the  Mexican  silver  ores  of 
4 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 

Mr.  Ehlcrs  (No.  224,  Class  L) ;  the  lead  and  silver  ores  of  North 
Carolina,  from  Mr.  Roswell  King  (No.  159,  Class  I.) ;  the  lead 
and  copper  ores  of  Chester  and  Montgomery  counties,  Pennsyl- 
vania, from  Mr.  Wheatley  (Nos.  113,  114,  115,  Class  I.);  the 
copper  glance  from  Bristol,  Conn.,  loaned  from  the  Cabinet  of 
Union  College,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. ;  besides  numerous  other 
examples  of  single  specimens,  often  of  the  highest  interest. 

The  States  of  Missouri  and  Michigan  aided  the  exhibition  of 
their  mineral  products  by  the  appropriation  of  money  to  form 
collections.  From  the  State  of  Missouri  there  was  sent  in  an 
extensive  suite  of  the  ores  of  copper,  lead,  and  iron,  cobalt,  and 
zinc,  and  specimens  of  coal,  marble,  glass-sands,  soils,  lime- 
stones, etc.,  in  which  that  State  is  so  productive.  Portions  of 
these  collections  were  prepared  in  a  very  skilful  manner,  and 
did  much  credit  to  those  by  whom  they  were  made.  Among 
the  most  remarkable  specimens  from  Missouri,  were  six  masses 
of  the  specular  and  magnetic  iron  ores  (weighing  many  tons), 
from  the  well  known  "  Iron  Mountain"  and  "  Pilot  Knob"  of 
that  State. 

The  State  of  Michigan  exhibited  a  mass  of  native'  copper, 
cut  from  the  lode  of  one  the  North  American  Mining  Company's 
mines  (No.  210,  Class  L),  weighing  6,300  pounds.  This  mass 
was  cut  into  a  rectangular  form.  Portions  of  the  epidotic  gangue 
or  veinstone  were  adhered  to  the  upper  surface,  but  the  sides 
were  clean-cut  surfaces  of  pure  copper,  upon  one  of  which  was 
engraved  the  locality  and  weight.  Many  other  very  large 
masses  of  copper  were  exhibited  by  different  miners  in  the  Lake 
Superior  region,  of  which  that  from  the  Minnesota  Mining  Com- 
pany weighed  over  5,000  pounds.  But  we  will  not  anticipate 
the  annotations,  which  will  appear  in  their  appropriate  place. 

Among  other  specimens  in  the  Yard,  which  were  remarkable 
for  their  extraordinary  size,  may  be  mentioned  particularly,  the 
column  of  anthracite  coal  from  the  Great  Coal  Seam  at  Wilkes- 
barre.  This  column  stood  twenty-nine  and  a  half  feet  high,  on 
a  base  of  four  feet.  This  is  probably  the  largest  mass  of  anthra- 
cite coal  ever  seen  in  a  single  column,  cut  from  one  vertical 
thickness.  The  great  column  in  London  in  1851,  from  the  Staf- 
fordshire Coal  Field,  was  bituminous  coal.  The  semi-bituminous 
coal  masses  from  the  Frostburg  Coal  Field  in  Maryland,  exhi- 
bited by  the  Lonaconing  Company,  and  by  the  Parker  Vein 
Company,  were  also  of  monster  size,  and  excited  much  attention. 

Other  remarkable  specimens  in  the  Yard,  were  the  white 
statuary  marble,  two  huge  blocks,  of  many  tons  measurement, 
from  Fairhaven,  Rutland  county,  Vermont,  (No.  8,  Class  I.)  This 
marble  is  in  color  all  that  can  be  desired,  but  whether  it  has  the 
texture  to  endure  fine  cutting,  and  strength  to  sustain  delicate 
lines  and  ridges,  yet  remains,  we  believe,  to  be  proved,  nor  does 
it  appear  that  experiments  have  been  made  to  test  its  resistance 

5 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 

to  crushing,  and  the  crystallization  of  sulphate  of  soda.  A  per- 
fect white  marble  in  this  country  for  statuary  and  architectural 
purposes,  is  certainly  a  great  desideratum,  and  it  is  hoped  that 
among  the  specimens  exhibited  from  several  localities  in  Ver- 
mont (see  Nos.  10,  11,  and  13,  Class  I.)  it  may  be  found. 

A  beautiful  block  of  encrinital  marble,  of  a  fine  red  chocolate 
color,  and  taking  a  high  polish,  was  exhibited,  from  the  shores 
of  Lake  Champlain  in  New  York,  (No.  51r)  and  recommends 
itself  for  interior  ornamental  purposes. 

An  ornamental  marble  (28  A,  Class  I.),  a  verd-antique,  of 
great  beauty,  was  exhibited  from  a  quarry  long  since  opened 
near  New  Haven,  in  Connecticut  (Milford).  And  another  of 
similar  character,  but  more  highly  colored  by  serpentine  and 
chrome  iron,  was  shown  from  Vermont. 

Two  masses  of  cinnabar  from  the  New  Almaden  Mines,  near 
San  Josi,  Alta  California,  (No.  219,  A),  weighing  many  hundred 
pounds,  were  remarkable  for  their  great  purity  and  size  giving 
promise,  from  what  we  already  know  of  the  surprising  extent  of 
the  deposits,  of  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  quicksilver,  where  it. 
is  much  wanted,  and  at  a  point  whence  it  can  be  easily  supplied 
to  the  whole  Pacific  coast. 

It  was  not  surprising  that  nearly  all  visitors  to  the  Mineralo- 
gical Cabinet,  should  be  curious  to  see  the  gold  of  California,  of 
which  the  world  has  heard  so  much  of  late  years.  Fortunately, 
the  enlightened  zeal  of  the  well-known  commercial  and  financial 
agents,  Adams  k  Co.,  enabled  this  inquiry  to  be  answered  in 
the  most  satisfactory  manner.  Their  collection  from  the  Cali- 
fornia gold  washings  embraced  not  only  several  nuggets  of  a 
remarkable  size  and  great  variety  of  form  and  complexion,  but 
it  included  ounce  specimens  from  nearly  every  washing  or  place 
of  any  note,  to  the  number  of  over  two  hundred.  It  was  very 
curious  and  instructive  to  observe  the  characteristic  differences 
which  these  samples  of  diluvial  gold  presented,  both  in  color, 
form,  and  the  size  of  the  grains,  a  difference  so  marked  and  con- 
stant, as  to  guide  the  eye  of  an  experienced  person  in  deciding 
the  origin  of  the  samples.  Among  the  larger  specimens,  were  a 
few  which  were  remarkable  for  the  beauty  of  their  crystalline 
structure.  One  large  mass  especially,  containing  about  £900  in 
value,  had  its  gold  disposed  in  large  and  well-formed  skeleton 
octahedra,  joined  in  symmetrical  forms  by  their  apexes,  the 
whole  sustained  on  a  gangue  of  clean  quartz,  and  wonderfully 
well  preserved  from  the  wearing  effects  of  water,  usually  so 
prominent  in  all  nuggets. 

A  specimen  of  eight  or  ten  ounces  of  iridosmine,  so  much 
valued  from  its  hardness  in  pointing  gold  pens,  was  shown  with 
the  gold  of  Messrs.  Adams  &  Co.,  being  obtained  as  an  insolu- 
ble residue  at  the  Mint,  in  the  process  of  refining  the  gold.  It 
was  easy  to  select  from  among  the  grains  those  which  retained 
6 


The  Mlneralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 

the  hexagonal  form  and  tin-white  color  belonging  to  this  rare 
mineral.  Including  the  ingots  and  coins,  (all  struck  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  mostly  by  private  assayers),  the  value  of  this  collec- 
tion of  gold  was  declared  at  over  $80,000.  Among  the  speci- 
mens were  a  few  of  the  Australian  gold,  which  was  noticeably 
more  yellow,  and  bears  a  higher  value  than  the  California  gold. 

Among  the  most  novel  and  interesting  products  from  the 
north-western  coast  of  America,  which  was  sent  to  the  Exhibi- 
tion, was  a  chest  containing  a  fine  sample  of  bituminous  coal 
(No.  219  D,  Class  I.),  from  Bellingham  Bay,  Puget's  Sound,  in 
the  newly  established  territory  of  Washington.  Captain  D. 
Ottinger,  U.  S.  Marine,  who  transmitted  this  specimen  appears 
to  have  sent  no  data  accompanying  it,  from  which  we  can  judge 
of  its  extent  and  position.  In  the  absence,  however,  of  more 
exact  data,  it  may  be  interesting  to  record  the  statement  lately 
made  in  one  of  the  daily  journals  of  San  Francisco,  that  a  cargo 
of  this  coal  had  just  been  received  at  that  port,  and  was  regarded 
as  a  most  precious  addition  to  the  commercial  resources  of  the 
whole  Pacific  coast.  Although  coal  has  been  before  noticed  in 
Vancouver's  Island,  and  at  two  or  three  points  on  the  shores  of 
California  and  of  South  America,  it  has  been  neither  in  quantity 
nor  quality  such  as  would  satisfy  the  wants  of  a  commercial 
steam  marine  upon  the  Pacific,  the  future  importance  of  which 
is  now  so  clearly  indicated. 

In  scientific  mineralogy  the  collection  was,  in  the  American 
Department,  very  complete,  containing  examples,  and  often  the 
very  finest  that  have  been  found,  from  nearly  all  the  localities 
of  the  United  States  of  any  note.  Without  intending  to  enter 
into  much  detail,  we  may  enumerate  a  few  of  the  more  remark- 
able in  the  order  of  the  Catalogue. 

From  Maine,  the  three  crystals  of  green  and  red  toumaline, 
(No.  254,  Class  I.),  discovered  many  years  since  at  Paris,  by  Pro- 
fessor C.  IT.  Shepard,  and  exhibited  by  him,  are  probably  the 
most  unique  specimens  of  this  species  ever  seen.  The  color  is 
lively  grass-green  to  ruby  red,  the  opposite  ends  of  one  and  the 
same  crystal  presenting  these  two  colors ;  perfectly  transparent 
in  some  parts,  and  again,  filled  with  cracks.  The  crystals  are 
nearly  two  inches  in  diameter,  and  before  being  cut,  nearly  three 
inches  long,  and  terminated  with  the  rhombic  planes.  Portions 
from  these  crystals  have  been  cut,  and  form  gems  of  rare  beauty 
and  value.  These  crystals  were  found  loose  in  the  soil,  more 
than  twenty-five  years  since,  by  the  exhibitor. 

The^  mica  plates,  from  Grafton  and  South  Ack worth,  exhi- 
bited by  George  H.  Ruggies  of  Boston,  and  J.  and  J.  S.  Bowers 
of  Ackworth,  are  well  known  now  the  world  over,  for  their  size, 
clearness  and  strength.  An  important  branch  of  industry  has 
grown  up  from  the  employment  of  this  mica  to  fill  the  openings 
in  the  doors  of  stoves  for  the  combustion  of  anthracite.  The 

7 


Tlie  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 


mica  of  Grafton  is  remarkable  for  having  compressed  in  its  lumi- 
nal crystals  of  black  tourmaline,  flattened  in  the  longer  axis,  and 
often  so  thin  as  to  permit  the  passage  of  light.  Two  specimens  of 
these  natural  polarizers  were  shown  among  selections  from  the 
cabinet  of  Professor  Silliman,  Jr. 

A  mass  of  smoky  quartz  costal,  penetrated  by  delicate  hair- 
like  crystals  of  transparent  red-brown  rutile,  was  exhibited  by 
Professor  O.  P.  Hubbard.  This  appears  to  have  been  part  of  a 
larger  crystal,  and  was  picked  up  as  a  bowlder  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. Its  sides  have  been  cut  so  as  to  illuminate  the  interior, 
which  exhibits  a  sight  of  rare  beauty,  the  dark,  but  perfectly 
transparent  quartz,  being  everywhere  interpenetrated  with  the 
countless  fibrous  crystals  of  rutile.  Some  of  the  rutile  crystals 
project  in  points  beyond  the  surface  of  the  quartz,  seeming  to 
indicate  that  they  were  formed  first  across  a  cavity,  and  sur- 
rounded by  the  quartz  in  a  state  of  solution  at  a  later  period. 
There  is  another  similar  specimen  in  the  cabinet  of  a  private 
collector  in  New  York,  which  also  came  from  New  Hampshire, 
and  is  quite  probably  part  of  the  same  original  mass. 

The  large  crystals  of  pale-colored,  smoky  quartz,  penetrated 
by  rutile,  which  were  found  in  great  numbers  a  few  years  since 
in  cutting  for  a  railway  in  Waterbury,  Vermont,  were  also 
represented  in  the  collection  among  the  specimens  from  the 
cabinets  of  W.  S.  Vaux  of  Philadelphia,  and  of  B.  Silliman,  Jr., 
of  New  Haven. 

The  only  example  of  tin  ore  in  the  United  States  is  also 
from  New  Hampshire,  town  of  Jackson,  and  specimens  of  the 
ore  and  metallic  tin  and  bronze  made  from  it  were  shown  by 
their  original  discoverer,  Dr.  Charles  T.  Jackson  of  Boston. 
(No.  5,  Class  I.) 

The  crystallized  spodumene  from  Norwich,  Massachusetts, 
was  one  of  the  remarkable  mineralogical  novelties  of  the  collec- 
tion. This  mineral  was  first  observed  in  crystals  at  this  locality, 
by  Messrs.  Hitchcock,  Jr.,  and  Hartwell,  in  1850.  The  former 
of  these  gentlemen  exhibited  several  very  large  crystals  (No. 
14,  Class  I.)  of  this  spodumene,  and  Professor  B.  Silliman,  Jr., 
showed  the  two  most  interesting  forms  which  have  hitherto  been 
observed,  one,  the  same  figured  in  Dana's  Mineralogy,  3d  ed.  p. 
693,  and  another  hemitroped  on  the  plane  M.  The  crystallized 
alluaudite,  found  with  the  spodumene  at  this  locality,  was  also 
exhibited. 

From  Connecticut,  the  copper  glance  from  the  Bristol  Copper 
Mine,  was  exhibited  by  the  mine  agent,  Mr.  H.  II.  Sheldon  ;  but 
more  remarkable  examples  of  the  same,  were  those  from  the 
cabinet  of  Union  College,  in  Schenectady.  These  remarkable 
crystallized  forms  of  glance  copper  are  now  well  known  by 
mineralogists,  the  world  over,  but  such  large  and  fine  specimens 
were  never  before  shown  publicly. 
8 


The  Miner alogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 


From  Iladdam,  in  the  same  State,  was  shown  one  of  the 
largest  crystals  of  columbite  ever  found.  It  weighed  over  two 
and  a  half  pounds,  and  is  tabular  in  form  from  the  extension  of 
the  plane  M.  Most  of  the  lateral  planes  are  preserved,  while  the 
lustre  and  metallic  tarnish  of  the  surface  are  well  displayed. 
The  same  town  also  furnished  two  crystals  of  beryl,  such  as 
have  been  found  only  there,  with  the  terminal  plane,  so  per- 
fect in  surface  and  polish,  that  when  one  crystal  is  placed  upon 
the  other  the  exclusion  of  air  is  so  complete,  that  the  one  crystal 
lifts  the  other.  These  terminal  planes  are  of  a  transparent  light 
green  color,  veneered,  as  it  were,  upon  the  summit  of  the  prism, 
whose  shaft  is  of  a  milky  pale  green  color;  the  lateral  planes  are 
distinct,  and  strongly  marked  with  rhombic  lines.  These  speci- 
mens were  also  from  the  cabinet  of  Professor  B.  Silliman,  Jr., 
and  fine  examples  from  the  same  planes  were  shown  by  Mr. 
Yaux  and  Messrs.  Clay  of  Philadelphia. 

The  region  of  northern  New  York,  including  especially  the 
counties  of  Jefferson,  St.  Lawrence,  and  Essex,  has  long  been 
remarkable  for  the  very  fine  crystallized  minerals  which  it  pro- 
duces. It  is  believed  that  the  collection  of  the  species  there 
found  was  more  completely  represented  in  the  Crystal  Palace, 
than  ever  before  in  any  one  cabinet.  The  selections  from  the 
cabinet  of  Hamilton  College,  by  Professor  O.  Eoot,  (No.  41,) 
that  from  the  cabinet  of  Mr.  Wilder,  at  Hoosick  Falls,  (No.  40,) 
that  from  the  cabinet  of  Judge  Dodge  of  Gouverneur,  (No.  32,) 
and  many  unique  specimens  from  the  cabinets  of  Mr.  Yaux  and 
others,  gave  great  beauty  and  completeness  to  this  portion  of  the 
display.  The  species  shown  from  this  region  were  chiefly  apatite, 
green  hexagonal  crystals  in  white  limestones,  two  were  over 
eight  inches  long,  and  one  doubly  terminated,  and  one  fragment 
of  a  crystal,  believed  to  be  the  largest  individual  of  this  species 
ever  found,  which  measured  eighteen  inches  in  length,  by  over 
six  inches  in  diameter,  and  when  entire,  was  estimated  to 
have  weighed  over  fifty  pounds;  large  and  distinct  crystals  of 
phlogopite  (one  of  the  mica  family) ;  calcite,  of  rare  form,  size, 
and  transparency ;  zircon,  in  large  hair-brown  transparent  crys- 
tals; tourmaline,  in  highly  complex  forms  of  brown  color;  fluor- 
spar, in  gigantic  cubes;  celestine,  in  clear  blue  crystals  on  calc- 
spar  ;  Millerite  (sulpliuret  of  mickel),  in  capillary  crystals:  and 
among  more  common  species,  but  remarkably  well  crystallized, 
may  be  named  galena;  iron  pyrites,  highly  modified;  yellow  cop- 
per ;  specular  iron,  etc.,  etc. 

From  the  region  of  Lake  Champlain,  a  large  mass  of  finely 
crystalline  graphite  (No.  46)  is  worthy  of  remark,  from  Ticon- 
deroga ;  several  large  crystals  of  allanite-,  from  Crown  Point, 
both  exhibited  by  Mr.  W.  P.  Blake.  The  allanite  is  in  crystals 
of  unexampled  size,  and  this  hitherto  rare  mineral  promises  to 
be  abundantlv  furnished  by  this  locality. 

9 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 


The  specimens  of  sphene  and  scapolite,  from  Lewis  county, 
shown  by  Mr.  Bourue,  Mr.  Yaux,  Mr.  Wilder,  and  others,  are 
among  the  most  memorable  mineralogical  products  of  New 
York,  but  are  certainly  surpassed  in  interest  by  the  monster 
spinels  of  Monroe,  "Warwick,  and  other  neighboring  towns  of 
Orange  county,  which  have  been  brought  to  light  by  the  exer- 
tions of  Messrs.  Horton  and  Jenkins,  of  Monroe.  Some  perfect 
and  well  modified  black  octahedra  have  been  found,  and  were 
exhibited  over  4  inches  in  diameter,  and  groups  of  a  much 
larger  size.  The  well  known  species  hornblende,  Biotite,  and 
many  others,  for  which  this  county  is  so  celebrated,  were  also 
fully  represented.  These  species  were  included  in  the  selections 
from  the  cabinets  already  named. 

The  metallurgical  resources  of  the  State  of  New  York  were 
represented  by  the  iron  ores  and  furnace  products  from  Orange 
county,  etc.,  as  may  be  seen  more  particularly  by  reference  to 
the  Catalogue.  The  lead  region  of  St.  Lawrence  county  has 
been  again  brought  into  notice,  and  the  ores  from  several  of  the 
mines  were  collected,  or  sent  in  by  their  proprietors  (see  Nos. 
30,  31).  The  "Ulster  Mining  Company"  (No.  52) ' exhibited 
a  notable  mass  of  galena,  specked  with  yellow  copper  (in  the 
Yard),  weighing  several  tons,  and  some  showy  specimens  of  the 
yellow  copper  of  this  mine,  in  huge  well  formed  crystals,  stand- 
ing upon  tables  of  large  and  transparent  quartz  crystals,  were 
shown  by  Mr.  Vaux  and  others. 

As  a  whole,  probably,  the  crystallized  minerals  from  the 
State  of  New  York,  in  this  collection,  were  more  remarkable 
than  those  from  any  other  district,  although  in  beauty  they 
were  inferior  to  the  leads  of  Pennsylvania. 

From  New  Jersey,  the  zinc  ores  of  Sussex  (Franklinite  and 
red  oxide  zinc)  are  well  known,  and  were  abundantly  repre- 
sented. Some  masses  of  the  red  oxide,  shown  by  Mr.  Blake, 
were  of  great  purity,  and  the  red  corundum  crystals,  also  from 
Sussex,  shown  by  the  same  gentleman,  are  worthy  of  notice  for 
their  color  and  size.  Brucite,  (hydrate  of  magnesia,)  from  the 
well  known  locality  of  Hoboken,  was  shown  by  Mr.  Stone,  of 
Brooklyn,  New  York,  (No.  60,)  of  unequalled  size,  being  in 
veins  three  to  four  inches  in  thickness,  and  in  masses  weighing 
many  pounds — perfectly  pearly.  The  iron  ores,  pig,  slags,  from 
Andover  and  Easton,  Pennsylvania,  shown  by  Cooper  k  Hewitt, 
New  York,  were  exceedingly  creditable  to  the  condition  of  this 
important  branch  of  industry  in  New  Jersey. 

We  have  already  adverted  to  the  rich  collections  from  the 
iron  and  coal  districts  of  Pennsylvania,  formed  by  Doctor 
Wethorill,  and  also  to  the  unique  suite  of  lead  ores  from  Mr. 
Wheatley.  Pennsylvania  is  favored  beyond  any  of  her  sister 
states  in  mining  resources,  and  has  turned  them  to  the  most 
profitable  account.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  manufac- 
10 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 


turing  industry  of  the  Northern  States  is  intimately,  and  alrnosi 
vitally,  dependent  upon  the  anthracite  coal  furnished  by  Penn- 
sylvania ;  we  refer  to  the  appropriate  heads  for  the  data  of  this 
important  internal  commerce. 

The  southern  or  south-eastern  counties  of  Pennsylvania 
embrace  a  district  of  protogene  rocks,  which,  beside  the  valuable 
veins  of  copper,  and  lead,  and  deposits  of  chrome  iron,  which 
they  contain,  furnish  to  the  mineralogical  collector  some  of  the 
choicest  ornaments  of  his  cabinet.  The  corundum  of  Delaware 
and  Chester  counties,  beside  its  mineralogical  interest,  has  been 
found  in  masses  sufficiently  compact  and  abundant  to  dress  into 
emery  for  manufacturing  purposes,  although  it  is  doubtful 
whether  the  existence  of  the  cleavage  of  the  mineral  is  suffi- 
ciently obliterated  to  give  it  the  requisite  strength  and  toughness 
as  a  polishing  agent.  Specimens  of  this  emery  rock  were  ex- 
hibited by  Mr.  Seale,  from  Minersville  (No.  120.)  The  rutile, 
which,  like  the  crystallized  corundum,  is  found  loose  in  the 
soil,  has  a  considerable  commercial  value,  from  its  use  in  giv- 
ing the  yellowish  gray  tint  to  artificial  teeth.  The  collection 
contained  remarkably  fine  examples  of  this  species,  in  large 
genieulated  crystals  of  great  perfection.  We  notice  especially 
two  crystals  from  the  cabinet  of  Thomas  A.  Seale,  of  Miners- 
ville, which  are  esteemed  the  finest  examples  of  this  species  in, 
existence. 

Nearly  all  the  mineral  species  from  the  vicinity  of  Texas, 
in  Lancaster  county,  and  from  some  other  localities  in  that 
neighborhood,  owe  their  greenish  color  to  the  presence  of  oxide 
of  nickel,  which  rare  metal  is  found  to  the  extent  of  over  one 
and  a  half  per  centum  in  the  chrome  iron  of  Lancaster  county. 
The  effect  of  the  carbonic  acid  and  water  of  the  atmosphere 
has  been,  in  percolating  the  mineral,  to  dissolve  out  and  deposit 
the  nickel  in  the  form  of  a  beautiful  emerald  green,  transparent 
crust,  which  is  found  lining  fissures  in  the  rock,  and  encrusting 
the  masses  of  chrome  iron.  This  beautiful  species  was  recog- 
nized and  described  several  years  since  by  Professor  Silliman,  Jr. 
The  general  diffusion  of  nickel  through  this  region  is  an  inter- 
esting  fact  in  Metallurgy,  and  connects  itself  with  a  statement 
made  by  the  late  Colonel  Price  Wetherill,  of  Philadelphia,  to 
the  writer,  to  the  effect  that  nearly  all  the  lead  ores  of  Missouri 
contained  an  appreciable  quality  of  nickel,  associated  with  a 
trace  of  cobalt,  so  as  to  interfere  seriously  with  the  use  of  certain 
samples  of  litharge  for  the  glass  making  art,  from  the  color 
which  these  metallic  oxides  give  to  the  material  of  the  glass. 

The  district  of  Pennsylvania  under  consideration  has  been 
a  rich  field  to  the  mineralogist,  and  has  furnished  a  number  of 
new  species  to  his  science  within  the  last  few  years,  e.  g., 
emerald  nickel,  euphyllite,  pennite,  clinochrore,  and  others, 
which,  although  not  new,  are  not  elsewhere  found  in  the  United 

11 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 


States.  In  addition  to  these  are  found  there  a  long  list  of  more 
common  species,  often  of  rare  beauty. 

The  specimens  of  cleavable  feldspar,  and  of  raw  and  washed 
clay  (Nos.  119,  120,)  from  New  Garden,  and  of  fire-brick  made 
from  the  same,  require  further  investigation,  with  reference  to 
the  existence  of  Kaolin,  which  is  clearly  indicated  by  the  ex- 
tended beds  of  decomposed  pegmatite,  and  other  gneissic  rocks 
rich  in  feldspar,  in  Chester  county.  Some  allusion  will  be 
found  to  the  interesting  metal lurgic  relations  of  those  rocks,  in 
the  Illustrated  Record  of  the  Crystal  Palace,  page  59.* 

The  crystalline  slags  from  Easton,  exhibited  by  Dr.  Swift, 
and  by  Professor  Silliman,  have  not  yet  received  a  chemical 
examination,  such  as  they  demand.  Their  beautiful  distinctness 
as  crystals,  often  transparent,  produced  by  art,  excites  our 
admiration  and  invites  an  extended  investigation  into  the  cir- 
cumstances of  their  origin.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  in  this 
connection,  upon  the  statement  of  Dr.  Swift,  that  of  two  fur- 
naces, in  different  sections  of  the  same  district,  but  supplied 
with  the  same  materials  and  ores,  the  one  produces  crystalline, 
and  the  other  amorphous  slags.  These  furnaces  are  represented 
in  the  Exhibition  by  the  proprietors,  Messrs.  Cooper  k  Hewitt, 
(No.  64.)  Dr.  Wetherill,  in  his  researches  among  the  slags  of  a 
great  number  of  iron  furnaces  in  Pennsylvania,  found  but  few 
which  furnished  distinct  crystals,  and  but  one  among  them  all 
that  showed  the  red  oxide  of  titanium  (as  it  has  been  errone- 
ously called)  so  common  among  the  slags  of  some  Welsh 
furnaces. 

From  Maryland,  the  products  of  greatest  economical  interest 
were  the  chrome  ores  and  manufactured  products,  and  the  copper 
and  cobalt  ores  of  the  Patapsco  Company,  as  well  as  the  copper 
ores  from  Carroll  and  Frederick  counties,  the  iron  ores,  and  the 
masses  of  coal  before  referred  to. 

The  fine  cleavable  feldspar,  from  New  Castle,  Delaware  (ex- 
hibited by  Mr.  J.  Jones,  No.  141),  is  well  known  from  the  use 
which  has  been  made  of  it  as  a  porcelain  material. 

The  mineral  products  of  Virginia  were  not  very  fully  repre- 
sented, but  the  collection  contained  from  that  State  some  things 
possessing  a  high  interest,  especially  among  the  gold  ores.  Dr. 
Genth's  collection  contained  one  specimen  of  gold  associated 
with  telluret  of  bismuth  (tetradymite),  in  which  the  gold  pre- 
sented a  surface  of  the  most  perfect  polish,  being  evidently  the 
cast,  or  pseudomorph,  in  gold,  of  some  other  species  (probably 
of  spathic  iron).  The  rare  telluret  of  bismuth,  from  Commodore 
Stockton's  mine  in  Louisa  county,  was  fully  represented.  From 
Goochland  and  Buckingham  counties  were  some  ores  of  gold  of 
a  remarkable  character,  especially  that  from  Garnet's  Mine  (No. 

*  Professor  II.  D.  Rogers's  Report,  this  Magazine,  page  338,  Vol.  II. 
12 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 


142),  which  was  associated  with  garnets.  The  heavy  spar  from 
Eldridge's  Mine  was  remarkable  for  the  form  and  finish  of  its 
crystals.  Gray  copper  was  observed  for  the  first  time  in  the 
United  States  by  Dr.  Gentli,  among  the  copper  ores  of  Orange 
county. 

The  cannel  coal  from  the  Kanawha  (in  the  Yard)  was  plainly 
a  material  of  remarkable  promise. 

Weirs  Cave,  a  well-known  cavern  in  Virginia,  celebrated  for 
the  beauty  of  its  crystalline  stalactites,  was  represented  by  a  large 
mass  of  crystals  of  dogtooth  spar,  of  a  delicate  yellow  color,  ex- 
hibited by  Mr.  Robert  L.  Cooke,  of  Bloomfield,  New  Jersey. 

North  Carolina. — The  copper  veins  of  this  State  have  lately 
attracted  much  attention,  and  were  fully  represented  by  the 
collections  of  Mr.  Blake  and  Dr.  Genth,  as  well  as  by  the  larger 
specimens  sent  on  by  proprietors.  The  copper  exists  almost 
solely  as  yellow  pyrites  (double  sulphuret  of  copper  and  iron), 
in  veins  of  quartz.  Dr.  Gentli  states  the  interesting  fact  that,  in 
all  the  cases  in  which  he  has  examined  this  ore,  it  is  auriferous ; 
and  the  circumstance  is  well  known,  that  nearly  all,  if  not  all, 
the  North  Carolina  copper  veins  were  formerly  worked  as  gold 
veins.  Above  water-level,  the  decomposing  influences  of  air, 
water,  frost,  etc.,  have  removed  the  sulphurets,  leaving  the  gold 
in  the  oxide  of  iron,  or  gossans.  The  same  fact  holds  true  in 
Virginia,  that,  in  many  mines,  the  gold  has  apparently  run  out 
in  depth,  being  replaced  by  copper  pyrites.  The  truth  is,  proba- 
bly, in  all  these  cases,  that  the  quantity  of  gold  is  as  great  in 
depth  as  it  was  at  the  surface ;  but  it  is  in  a  form  not  to  be  pro- 
cured by  washing  and  amalgamation,  and  in  which  it  can  only  be 
obtained  by  a  circuitous  method,  involving  a  furnace  process. 
•  In  "North  Carolina,  the  region  productive  in  copper,  etc.,  appears 
to  be  confined  chiefly  to  the  counties  of  Guildford  and  Mecklen- 
burg. 

The  Washington  Mine,  in  Davidson  county,  was  very  fully 
represented  by  specimens  of  argentiferous  galena,  bars  of  silver, 
and  numerous  crystallized  salts  of  lead,  particularly  pyromor- 
phite  and  cerucite  (phosphates  and  carbonates).  Mr.  Roswell 
A.  King,  the  former  proprietor,  deposited  in  the  cabinet  a  large 
collection  of  the  various  products  of  this  mine,  obtained  some 
years  back,  when  it  yielded  superb  specimens  and  made  its  name 
memorable  with  American  collectors. 

From  the  other  Southern  States  the  display  of  minerals  was 
small,  some  of  the  States  being  wholly  unrepresented.  The 
massive  black  oxide  of  manganese,  from  Edgefield  District, 
South  Carolina,  exhibited  by  Mr.  Lane  (No.  168).  was  remark- 
able for  the  large  size  of  the  blocks  (seen  in  the  Yard),  and  for 
its  freedom  from  foreign  associated  minerals. 

The  gold  from  Mr.  Dorn  (No.  167),  of  Oakland  Grove,  in  the 
same  district,  presents  a  peculiar  example  of  the  distribution  of 

13 


• 


Tlie  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 

this  metal  in  cavities  filled  with  ochraceous  matter  in  a  talcose 
s£ate,  the  common  gangne  of  gold  in  the  Atlantic  gold  region 
being  quartz.  The  Gold  Hill  Mine,  in  North  Carolina  (No.  166), 
and  some  others  represented  in  the  Exhibition,  are  of  the  same 
class  with  Dorn's  Mine,  but  none  it  is  believed  have  proved  equal 
to  the  latter  in  the  value  of  its  products  in  proportion  to  the  ex- 
tent of  its  workings. 

The  copper  ores  of  the  Hiwassee  region,  in  Tennessee  (Nos. 
172,  173),  were  well  represented  by  specimens  collected  by  Mr. 
Blake,  embracing  the  associated  minerals  and  rocks.  This 
deposit  (for  it  is  a  mass  conformable  to  the  adjacent  strata)  offers 
a  singular  and  interesting  example  of  the  fermentation  on  a 
large  scale  of  magnetic  pyrites,  poor  in  copper,  and  the  separa- 
tion of  the  sulphuret  of  copper  from  the  oxide  of  iron,  resulting 
from  the  decomposition  of  the  magnetic  pyrites.  This  process 
is  still  in  operation  at  the  depth  of  eighty  or  ninety  feet  from  the 
surface,  where  an  accumulation  of  sulphuret  of  copper,  a  few  feet 
in  thickness,  rests  upon  the  bed  of  unchanged  pyrites,  while 
above  is  a  loosely  aggregated  mass  of  oxide  of  iron  (gossan), 
which  forms  the  outcrop  of  the  bed  and  is  entirely  free  from 
copper.  The  temperature  in  the  adits  at  the  bottom  of  the  shaft 
is  said  to  be  about  80°,  and  the  odor  of  sulphydric  acid  very 
decided.  The  extent  of  this  mass  (which  is  intercalated  between 
beds  of  gneissic  rocks)  is  the  most  remarkable  feature  of  the 
case,  being,  it  is  said,  forty  to  fifty  feet  in  width,  and  traced  by 
exploration  between  two  and  three  miles.* 

FOREIGN  COUNTRIES. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  the  representation  of  foreign 
minerals  would  be  very  full,  but  there  were  not  wanting  several 
very  instructive  and  beautiful  suites  of  minerals  from  several  of 
the  public  institutions  in  Europe,  and  from  private  collectors  or 
dealers. 

From  Great  Britain  there  was  no  systematic  collection.  The 
Duke  of  Buccleuch  sent  a  fine  suite  of  argentiferous  galena  and 
its  products,  illustrating  the  various  stages  of  the  Pattinson  pro- 
cess applied  to  the  ores  from  Wanloch  Head.  The  ingot  of 
silver  accompanying  this  suite  was  of  the  value  of  £100;  and  a 
similar  scries  came  from  the  "  Mining  Company  of  Ireland." 
"The  Lowmoor  Iron  Company,"  Yorkshire,  England,  sent  a 
remarkabl )  fine  suite  of  specimens,  illustrating  the  manufacture 
of  iron  in  all  its  stages  (No.  15,  Class  XXII.,  Division  B),  the 
fullest  and  most  instructive  series  of  the  sort  that  was  exhibited. 

The  oolitic  fossils  sent  by  Robert  Damon,  of  Dorset,  and  the 
huge  crvstal  of  hcaw  spar,  with  other  minerals,  from  Mr.  Cow- 
per,  of  Alston,  arc  worthy  of  commendation. 

*  Refer  to  the  very  able  Report  of  J.  D.  Whitney,  Esq.,  in  this  Magazine, 
page  144,  Aug.,  1853. 
14 


The  Minera logical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 


Saxony. — This  ancient  and  almost  hereditary  seat  of  mining 
was  admirably  represented  by  a  well-chosen  suite  of  character- 
istic specimens,  selected  by  authority  of  the  Koyal  Saxon  Mining 
College  in  Freiberg.  It  embraced  the  ores  of  silver,  lead,  anti- 
mony, copper,  bismuth,  and  their  associate  minerals.  The 
specimens  were,  many  of  them,  large,  showing  the  character  of 
the  entire  vein  from  which  they  were  taken ;  and  these  were 
selected  from  several  of  the  best-known  mines.  As  a  suite 
calculated  to  convey  accurate  ideas  to  the  student,  with  regard 
to  the  distribution  and  character  of  metallic  veins,  nothing  could 
be  better. 

The  Royal  Bavarian  Director-General  of  Mines,  at  Munich, 
also  sent  a  large  suite  of  specimens,  both  mineralogical  and  geo- 
logical, illustrative  of  the  mineral  resources  of  that  kingdom. 
Especially  worthy  of  mention  in  this  collection,  was  that  part 
which  embraced  the  rock-salt,  gypsum,  and  anhydrite,  from  the 
saliferous  region ;  and  the  wrhole  series  was  put  up  and  ticketed 
with  characteristic  German  exact  neatness. 

The  Directors  of  the  Public  Iron  Depot,  at  Gottenburg,  in 
Sweden,  sent  an  instructive  suite  of  the  iron  ores,  pig,  and  bar 
iron  of  that  kingdom,  so  long  celebrated  for  its  tough  and  valua- 
ble iron  products. 

The  mineralogical  portion  of  the  foreign  department  was 
however  chiefly  indebted  for  its  beauty  and  attractiveness,  in  the 
eyes  of  scientific  mineralogists  and  collectors,  to  a  brilliant  suite 
of  well-chosen  crystallized  minerals,  selected  from  all  the  great 
mineral  and  mining  districts  of  Europe  by  Dr.  Augustus  Krantz, 
of  Bonn  on  the  Rhine,  who  is  well  known  as  a  dealer  in  minerals. 
This  suite  embraced  specimens  from  Prussia,  Saxony,  the  Hartz, 
Thuringia,  Baden,  Hanover,  Nassau,  Transylvania,  Hungary, 
Bohemia,  Tyrol,  Switzerland,  Italy,  France,  Scandinavia,  and 
Russia.  Many  of  the  specimens  were  such  as  are  rarely  seen 
even  in  Europe  in  such  fine  condition,  and  the  whole  offered 
much  pleasure  to  mineralogical  collectors. 

More  useful,  probably,  because  within  the  reach  of  young 
students  and  of  teachers,  were  the  select  cabinets  of  well  char- 
acterized minerals  and  rocks,  designed  for  instruction.  It  is 
one  proof  of  the  utility  of  the  Exhibition,  that  several  of  these 
latter  collections  were  sold  to  students  and  teachers  from  those 
exhibited,  the  price  being  moderate  and  the  specimens  ex- 
cellent. 

Although  fossils  were  not  generally  included  in  the  collection, 
from  want  of  space,  a  few  were  admitted  ;  and  among  them  we 
note,  as  particularly  worthy  of  mention,  the  beautiful  collection 
of  fossils  from  Solenhofen,  sent  by  Carl  Haberlein  (No.  246,  b). 
Dr.  Krantz  also  sent  a  choice  selection  of  German  fossils,  inclu- 
ding a  fine  head  of  ichthyosaurus  communis,  and  many  fine 
encrinites. 

15 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 

As  an  example  of  new  gleanings  in  an  old  field,  we  may 
mention  the  mercury  and  copper  ores — the  former  from  Jano,  in 
Tuscany,  and  the  latter  from  near  Volterra  (Monte  Catini) — sent 
by  Messrs.  Sloane,  of  Florence,  English  proprietors,  who  have 
lately  developed  these  resources  before  dormant  in  the  domain 
of  the  Grand  Duke.  The  copper  ores  are  both  the  yellow, 
variegated,  and  vitreous  sulphurets,  in  massive  blocks,  accom- 
panied by  tile  copper  made  from  them. 

Illustrating  new  metallurgic  processes,  there  were  in  the 
collection  three  suites  of  specimens  worthy  of  special  mention, 
viz. : — 

1.  The  separation  of  gold  from  arsenical  pyrites,  by  Plan- 
ner's method  (243  a),  by  M.  Guettler,  of  Eeichenstein  in  Silesia. 
A  specimen  of  the  arsenical  pyrites,  containing  200  grains  of 
gold  in  the  ton;  the  same  roasted,  to  expel  arsenic ;  the  residue, 
after  treatment  with  chlorine ;  the  colcothar,  or  fine  red  oxide  of 
iron,  saved  in  the  process;  and  the  button  of  gold,  form  the 
series  of  specimens.  In  Plattners  process,  as  conducted  by  M. 
Guettler,  the  roasted  ore  is  treated  by  chlorine  gas,  whereby  the 
gold  and  iron  are  rendered  soluble  in  water,  from  which  solution 
the  gold  is  thrown  down  by  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  The  pre- 
cipitation of  the  iron  is  prevented  by  the  addition  to  the  solution 
of  a  little  chlorohydric  acid.  The  gold  is  then  collected,  and 
fluxed  as  usual.  This  process  is  beyond  doubt  applicable  to  the 
refuse  of  many  mines  which  contain  often  a  little  trace  of  gold, 
and,  since  its  discovery,  has  been  the  means  of  opening  some  old 
mines  in  Europe  which  have  been  abandoned  for  centuries,  e.  g., 
this  very  mine  of  Eeichenstein,  which  has  been  abandoned  for 
500  years.    A  plan  of  the  works  accompanied  the  suite. 

2.  The  separation  of  silver  from  copper  ores,  in  which  it 
exists  in  small  quantity,  by  the  process  of  Mr.  Ziervogle,  now 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  copper-schists  of  Mansfeld,  of  Germany 
— the  same  which  furnish  the  well-known  fossil  fish  (Paleoniscus 
freisUhensis) — have  long  been  worked  for  copper,  although  con- 
taining not  over  5  per  cent,  of  ore.  This  copper  is  argentiferous, 
and  the  silver  it  contains  was  formerly  separated  by  liquidation. 
By  the  present  process,  the  details  of  which  are  kept  secret  by 
the  discoverer,  water  is  said  to  be  the  agent  of  separation.  The 
suite  of  specimens  exhibited  consists  of  the  schist,  the  same 
crushed  and  roasted,  the  roasted  ore  after  lixivation  with  water, 
the  same  fused,  two  or  three  stages  of  the  copper  fusion,  fine 
copper,  and  fine  silver.  In  the  absence  of  any  data  of  a  precise 
nature,  we  remark,  that  it  is  obvious  that  the  silver  to  be 
removed  by  water  must  be  in  a  soluble  state,  and  that  the  result 
of  the  roasting  must  be  the  production  of  a  soluble  salt  of  silver, 
(sulphate?)  which  the  water  removes. 

3.  The  reduction  of  oxide  of  iron  by  carbon  in  tubes,  by  the 
process  of  Mr.  Kenton,  of  Newark,  a  more  detailed  description 


The  Mineralogical  Collection  in  the  Crystal  Palace. 


of  which,  by  Mr.  Wurtz,  can  be  seen  in  the  Annotated  Catalogue 
under  the  proper  head. 

The  geological  maps  of  the  English  Ordnance  Survey,  sent 
out  by  order  of  Sir  Henry  De  La  Beche,  were  the  most  impor- 
tant contribution  under  the  head  of  maps,  plans,  and  sections. 
It  is  unnecessary  to  enlarge  here  upon  the  merits  of  these  maps, 
which  are  everywhere  regarded  as  models  of  accuracy  and 
laborious  research. 

Such  is  a  brief  summary  of  some  of  the  more  salient  and 
obvious  points  of  interest  in  the  mineralogical  collection  in  the 
Crystal  Palace  in  New  York  in  1853. 


